Lesson 4 - Growth Gives Rise to Opposition

Acts 4:23-5:42. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem became jealous of the church’s growing popularity. They resented the fact that God’s power was at work through the followers of Jesus rather than through them and so they threw the Apostles into prison and eventually had them publicly beaten in an attempt to put them off their work. However, the Christ-followers rejoiced in the fact “that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace” for Christ's sake!